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As La Brea residents divided on bpTT pull-out
Workers walk off
Mitsubishi plant
RADHICA DE SILVA
Despite being accused of chasing
away investors with protests after
bpTT pulled out of a multi-million
gas platform project in their dis-
trict, contract workers employed
in the Caribbean Gas Chemicals
Limited's (CGCL) petrochemical
complex yesterday shut down the
construction site in La Brea, citing
wage concerns and poor working
conditions.
After the workers walked off the job
at 11 am, some La Brea residents agreed
with their MP, former Energy Minister
Nicole Olivierre, that ongoing protest
action in the district could have dis-
suaded bpTT from making a further
investment in the community.
Roger Jones, who is employed on the
CGCL construction site, said he did not
agree with his co-workers after they
took a decision to abandon their jobs.
"Some of us want to work but the
majority saying they want better pay.
They want to be paid like oil workers
but they are not oil workers. This kind
of nonsense is what makes us lose out
on opportunities," Jones said.
He added, "People's attitude to-
wards work is bad. They are contrib-
uting to half of the problems we are
facing in this area."
However, several other villagers
said bpTT had no intention of build-
ing the platform in Trinidad, saying if
they wanted to they could have built it
another part of the country.
Businessman Wade James, who
operates a mini-mart near the con-
struction zone, said there were enough
skilled people in T&T to build the plat-
form.
"If they think that La Brea resi-
dents like to protest and the workers
here have a bad work attitude, then
why not take it to another part of the
country? No, I believe that bpTT had
other reasons for not building it in
Trinidad. They probably got a better
deal elsewhere. The Mexicans are very
eager to work," James said.
Along the La Brea stretch, David
Knight, who sells mangoes, said La Brea
people were being blamed wrongfully.
"Most of the people here want to
work, only a few have a bad work at-
titude. La Brea has contributed to the
rest of the country and over the years
we have been deprived. Nothing is put
back in the community to build family
life. I feel disappointed that bpTT is not
investing here," Knight said.
Cheryl Thomas, of Vessigny, agreed
that La Brea residents were willing to
work.
"Not everybody's attitude is the
same. Lots of people cannot find
work and are eager for an opportu-
nity," Thomas said.
Meanwhile, when the T&T Guard-
ian visited the CGCL construction
site yesterday, most of the workers
had already left the compound. A
few workers were seen under some
tents but all heavy machinery was at
a standstill.
Contacted yesterday, CGCL human
resource manager Josie-ann Richards
said they were advised by its engineer-
ing, procurement and construction
(EPC) contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries (MHI), that a work stop-
page occurred on the construction site
of the plant.
"MHI advised that discussions were
held with the major contractors, as
well as with workers' representatives
to address a number of issues, chief
among them rates of pay for certain
job classifications. CGCL was advised
that some issues were to be immedi-
ately addressed, even as discussions
are on-going on other matters," Rich-
ards said.
She added that CGCL has since been
advised that work will resume today.
Earlier this week, bpTT said it would
no longer construct the Angelin plat-
form in Trinidad, which would have
provided employment to 150-175
people.
Over 2015 to 2017, Trinidad Off-
shore Contractors Limited (TOFCO)
was in charge of building the Juniper
platform, but this project was severely
affected by frequent protests and in
mid-2015, part of the platform was
shipped to Texas for completion. The
topside was completed in La Brea in
January 2017.
Govt to be
blamed for
Angelin
pull-out
United National Congress
chairman David Lee is blam-
ing the Government for bpTT's
decision to pull out of a mul-
ti-million dollar Angelin plat-
form construction project in
La Brea, saying it had failed to
generate investor confidence in
the energy sector.
Lee also slammed MP for La
Brea Nicole Olivierre for blam-
ing La Brea residents and former
employees involved in the building
of the Juniper platform, by sug-
gesting ongoing protests and work
stoppages had discouraged bpTT
from further investment.
In a statement yesterday, Lee
accused Government of failing
to meet bpTT's deadlines.
Noting that the Government had
failed to negotiate a new contract
between the National Gas Com-
pany (NGC) and bpTT in a timely
manner. Lee said, "The late finali-
sation of these negotiations which
are taking place currently should
have been done in the second
quarter of 2016, but Government
continued its laissez faire approach
and now bpTT, in an effort to meet
its schedule of 2019, are forced to
use other means of construction."
He noted that the move will re-
sult in the loss of valuable foreign
direct investment, which would
have brought in millions of dollars
in foreign exchange in an economy
deeply challenged for it, as well as
job creation within the local labour
market.
"This incident further demon-
strates the inability of the Gov-
ernment to create a sustainable
lucrative investing environment,
enact any new economic incen-
tives within the energy sector,
as well as mobilise any potent
policies which would facilitate
growth of the oil and gas sector
and by extension the economy of
T&T," he added.
Saying the energy sector is con-
tinuing to experience retroactive
development, Lee said it was time
for the Government to engage in
effective project development,
as failure to do so will be cata-
strophic to national stability and
prosperity.
"The fact is the major defaulting
reason which has led to this ma-
jor loss is the incompetence of the
current administration and their
inability to provide the proper
conditions needed to sustain for-
eign direct investment, generate
investor confidence as well as
follow through with critical ini-
tiatives within the energy sector,"
Lee said.
Earlier this week, bpTT sig-
nalled its intention not to con-
struct the platform in T&T "due
to project timeliness and other
competitiveness factors."
La Brea resident Cheryl Thomas.
A2 news
guardian.co.tt Saturday, April 8, 2017
Businessman Wade James says bpTT could have built the platform in
Chaguaramas if they wanted to.
David Knight adjusts a heap of mangoes at his stall along the Southern Main
Road, La Brea, yesterday.
The Mitsubishi plant site at the Union Industrial Estate which was shut down by workers yesterday. PHOTOS: KRISTIAN DE SILVA